1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a microwave oven and, more particularly, to a combination hood and microwave oven, installed over a cooking apparatus, such as a cooktop, to suck and discharge odors and smoke generated during cooking using the cooking apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally a combination hood and microwave oven is installed over a cooking apparatus, such as an electrical oven or a gas oven, and carries out general cooking functions of a microwave oven and sucks odors and smoke coming up from a cooking apparatus disposed thereunder and discharges them to the outside.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the construction and installation of a conventional combination hood and microwave oven. As shown in FIG. 1, in a body 102 of the combination hood and microwave oven, are a cooking cavity (not shown) in which food is cooked, and a machine room 110 in which various kinds of electrical parts are installed. In the lower portion, both side portions and upper portion of the cooking cavity and the machine room 110, is an exhaust channel 106 that sucks odors or smoke generated from a cooktop 104 disposed below the body 102. In the upper back portion of the body 102, an exhaust fan 108 is installed to forcibly discharge the odors or smoke sucked through the exhaust channel 106. In the inlet of the exhaust channel 106 positioned at the lower portion of the body 102, is a variable suction hole 106a whose suction area is varied by a slidable opening and closing member 112. The slidable opening and closing member 112 is operated by a variable suction hole motor (not shown).
In the conventional combination hood and microwave oven, a switch that turns an exhaust motor on or off, and another switch that controls the rotational speed of the exhaust motor are mounted. Additionally, a control switch that controls the suction area of the variable suction hole 106a is separately mounted in the microwave oven. A user individually manipulates the switches to turn on the exhaust motor, and then controls the rotational speed of the exhaust motor and controls the suction area of the variable suction hole 106a according to the rotational speed of the exhaust motor.
As described above, the exhaust function of the conventional combination hood and microwave oven having a plurality of switches is accompanied by a number of switch manipulations. Additionally, the conventional combination hood and microwave oven needs a complicated drive circuit that controls the on/off operation and rotational speed of the exhaust motor and the suction area of the variable suction hole, so that its manufacturing cost is high.